1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus for adjusting the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface and, more particularly, to a novel electromechanical compression crank adjustment mechanism for a basketball goal assembly having an extension arm adjustable among a plurality of positions to facilitate the adjustment of the basketball goal over a playing surface.
2. Technical Background
Basketball is an increasingly popular sport in the United States and abroad. There are many cities, counties and other associations that sponsor recreational and instruction leagues where people of all ages can participate in the sport of basketball. Today there are organized leagues for children as young as five and six years old. Accordingly, it is not surprising that more and more people have a basketball goal assembly mounted on their own property.
The problem with many basketball goal assemblies of the prior art is that the goal is usually fixed at a certain height above the playing surface, with a standard height being about ten (10) feet. Children and younger teens, however, generally do not have the strength or agility to shoot and make a basket at the typical height of ten feet. Moreover, children tend to develop improper shooting skills by attempting to throw a basketball toward a goal that is disposed too high. Oftentimes, children or younger teens get frustrated with the sport of basketball and may give up the sport altogether.
Many attempts have been made by those skilled in the art to design basketball goal assemblies which are adjustable to several different heights. Adjustable basketball goal assemblies allow persons of all ages and sizes to enjoy the sport of basketball because the basketball goal can be adjusted to various heights above the playing surface. Some prior art basketball goal assemblies employ a deformable linkage design which generally connects the backboard to a rigid mount such as a support pole. In operation, prior art deformable linkages may be selectively locked at various positions to secure the basketball goal at a predetermined height above the playing surface.
One disadvantage of prior art deformable linkage devices is that the adjustment mechanism is typically positioned within or near the linkage which is generally well above the playing surface. Accordingly, whenever a user desires to adjust the height of the basketball goal, the use of a ladder, stool or the like is required to enable the user to reach the adjustment mechanism and xe2x80x9cunlockxe2x80x9d the basketball goal. Having to use a ladder, stool or the like to adjust the height of the basketball goal creates an inherent danger to the user of the potential for falling.
Other prior art adjustable basketball goal assemblies were developed having an adjustment mechanism that is only accessible with the use of a separate rod or pole, such as a broomstick handle. Often times, there is not such an adjustment device readily available. The user must therefore accommodate the inconvenience of having to find a suitable implement, or simply choose not to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
Another disadvantage of many prior art adjustable basketball goal assemblies is that the mechanism for adjusting the height of the basketball goal is separate and distinct from the mechanism used to secure the goal assembly at a particular height. Thus, both hands of a user are normally needed to simultaneously unlock the adjustment mechanism, adjust the basketball goal and then lock the adjustment mechanism at a predetermined position relative to the playing surface.
Some prior art basketball goal assemblies are configured with the adjustment mechanism positioned adjacent the basketball playing area. Such adjustment mechanisms can interfere with the game play of one or more users, thereby creating a potentially dangerous situation. For example, such adjustable basketball goal assemblies are usually subject to inadvertent adjustment if bumped by a user or accidentally hit with a basketball.
Yet another disadvantage of prior art basketball goal assemblies is that the adjustment mechanism is in tension with the linkage device attached to the goal, thus the locking or adjustment mechanism is susceptible to separation upon failure and, accordingly, the goal assembly may drop into the playing area and cause potential injuries to users. Another disadvantage of prior art basketball goal adjustment assemblies is that many of the securing and adjustment mechanisms require numerous working components and a complex design configuration to be able to simultaneously adjust and secure the basketball goal assembly in a predetermined position above a playing surface. This increases the cost, the difficulty of manufacture and the time necessary to assemble the basketball goal assembly by a user.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal assembly that can be adjusted without the use of a ladder or a pole. It would be a further advancement to provide such an adjustable basketball goal assembly that may be quickly and easily adjusted using a single hand of a user. It would be yet another advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal assembly that does not interfere with game play and that would not endanger users if the adjustment or locking mechanism failed. It would be a further advancement in the art to provide an adjustment assembly that incorporates an electromechanical mechanism to assist in selectively adjusting the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface. Finally, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal assembly that is simple in operational design and cost effective relative to manufacture.
Such an adjustable basketball goal assembly is disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention is directed to a novel adjustable basketball goal assembly having a compression crank mechanism that facilitates adjusting the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface. The basketball goal assembly of the present invention includes a rigid support that extends in a substantially upward direction. The rigid support has a goal side and a back side formed opposite the goal side. A deformable goal support structure may be pivotally attached to the goal side of the rigid support such that the goal support structure is suspended above the playing surface. The goal support structure includes an upper support arm and a lower support arm. In one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, one of the support arms has a tail section which extends substantially outward from the back side of the rigid support pole.
A basketball goal is preferably attached to the goal support structure adjacent the goal side of the rigid support. In one presently preferred embodiment, the goal consists of a rim, a backboard and a net. The goal support structure is preferably configured such that as the goal support structure deforms, the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface is correspondingly adjusted, wherein each variation in height of the basketball goal corresponds to a different deformation of the goal support structure. In operation, the goal support structure allows the rim of the basketball goal to be adjusted to several different heights while retaining the rim in a substantially horizontal disposition in relation to the playing surface.
In one presently preferred embodiment, an adjustment crank is pivotally mounted at the back side of the rigid support pole such that a user can adjust the crank without needing a ladder, stool, pole or the like. An extension arm is preferably positioned between the parallelogrammic deformable goal support structure and the adjustment crank substantially along the back side of the rigid support. A first end of the extension arm is pivotally attached to the tail section of the lower support arm and a second opposing end of the extension arm is pivotally attached to the adjustment crank. The extension arm may include a stabilizing arm having a first end pivotally attached to the support pole and a second end pivotally attached contiguous a second end of the extension arm. In this configuration, an adjustment of the crank mechanism moves the extension arm and deforms the parallelogrammic structure, thereby adjusting the height of the basketball goal in relation to the playing surface. Thus, the height of the basketball goal can be adjusted without the use of a ladder or other adjustment implement.
In preferred design, the adjustment crank includes a first adjustment member connected to the extension arm at a first point of attachment and a second adjustment member connected to the rigid support at a second point of attachment disposed above the first point of attachment. Thus, the adjustment crank is in compression under the force of the basketball goal assembly. In one presently preferred embodiment, the first and second adjustment members may be threaded for cooperative engagement with each other. In this regard, the threads are generally configured to provide maximum mechanical advantage and thereby facilitate easy adjustment of the basketball goal assembly.
In one presently preferred embodiment, a crank handle is attached to the first adjustment member to facilitate the selective movement of the first adjustment member relative to the second adjustment member. This configuration permits selective movement of the first adjustment member relative to said second adjustment member which, in turn, deforms the goal support structure and repositions the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface.
In yet another presently preferred embodiment, an electromechanical driver may be connected to the first adjustment member to facilitate the selective movement of the first adjustment member relative to the second adjustment member. An electromechanical driver operably engaging the adjustment crank mechanism facilitates a controlled, systematic movement of the first adjustment member relative to the second adjustment member to facilitate deformation of the goal support structure and thereby permit adjustment to the height of the basketball goal above a playing surface. Similarly, the use of an electromechanical driver associated with the adjustment crank mechanism permits rapid and convenient repositioning in the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface.
The basketball goal assembly may also include a support base configured having an internal cavity sufficient for receiving and retaining a ballast material. Preferably, the support base is configured such that when filled with a ballast material (e.g., water, sand or the like), the weight of the support base is sufficient to stabilize the adjustable basketball goal assembly and support the support pole, disposed in a receiving aperture formed in the support base, in a substantially upright position.
Thus, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide an adjustable basketball goal assembly with an adjustment mechanism in compression with the extension arm and which does not interfere with the playing area. It is another advantage of the present invention to be able to adjust the height of the basketball goal without the aid of a ladder or pole. It is a further advantage of the present invention to be able to easily adjust the height of the basketball goal using only a single hand of a user. It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a compression crank adjustment mechanism for an adjustable basketball goal assembly that is cost effective to manufacture and easy to assemble. Additionally, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide an electromechanical driver operably engaging a compression crank adjustment mechanism to facilitate rapid and convenient repositioning of the height of the basketball goal above a playing surface.